


Changes, Cages, Choices.

by hellskitchensmurdock



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-27
Updated: 2019-04-27
Packaged: 2020-02-07 08:27:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18616897
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hellskitchensmurdock/pseuds/hellskitchensmurdock
Summary: They both knew Klaus' bouncing leg had nothing to do with an itch for drugs.





	Changes, Cages, Choices.

**Author's Note:**

> okay this my first fanfic in nearly a year so ooft okay enjoy

_ "I mean, it must be scary. Terrifying,  _ _ really _ _ , to discover that you can do something that you never thought you could do." _

Klaus knows, he does. He remembers their father forcing him to speak to the dead. He remembers ten months ago when he spoke to Hazel and Cha-Cha's victims. He remembers from mere hours before when Ben punched him in the face.

He can still feel the sting of Ben's fist as he thinks about Vanya; alone, trapped in a cage. He also knows what it feels like to have someone trap you in a place you are not only scared of but petrified of. In a place where there is no escape from your worst nightmares.

In their cases, his and Vanya's, he also knows the sense of betrayal she must be feeling. She came here seeking help and safety and forgiveness only to have Luther choke her and throw her in a box. After all, their father, Luther; they're meant to be family. Klaus learnt to never trust anyone after his father had told him three more hours. Vanya seemed to still have hope.

He had no idea what happened to Vanya in there, in the past. Despite that, and despite not being able to hear her, it was clear she was begging, crying, to leave. Klaus knows the fear in her eyes because he saw it in his own every time he left the mausoleum.

He focuses on his hands. Hitting them together, then trying to hit them against Ben's. He focuses on the clap of the first hit and prays for a filled silence on the second.

The silences become too long, the claps too soft.  _ Hearing one clap when there should be two gets old _ , Klaus thinks. He starts to bounce his leg. It didn't fall in time with the beat of his lone claps. One is too fast or the other too slow, he can't tell.

Ben begins to look concerned. Klaus ignores him. They both know Klaus' bouncing leg has nothing to do with an itch for drugs. Usually, there could be doubt, would be doubt, but Ben knows his brother well. Ben knows Klaus is going to worry about Vanya and he isn't going to stop.

"If you're worried you should do something about it." Ben stops clapping. His hands rest in his lap and his eyes fix on Klaus.

"What am I going to do,  just go down and get her out?" Klaus asks. "Luther will catch me."

"No, he won't. He's worried about Allison. He won't leave her side. As long as you are quiet he won't notice." Ben stands up.

Klaus follows.

They both sneak down the hall, the same way they did when they were children; awoken from a nightmare, wanting nothing less than to deal with their father .

Neither of them bring up the fact that Ben doesn't need to sneak around

Klaus lets a breath out when they reach the elevator. Ben tells him they're almost there, they've almost done it. As soon as it stops and the doors open, Klaus is running. He can't stand the thought of Vanya being in there any longer.

He catches her glowing eyes in the corner of his own as he grabs onto the handle and tries to pull the door open. He manages to budge it part of the way. It's not enough. His hands become sweaty and slide.

He groans in frustration after a few attempts and turns to Ben. "A little help would be nice!"

"What am I meant to do?" Ben snaps.

"I don't know! Just... Try?" Klaus wipes his hands and pulls on the handle again and notes Vanya's confused look. He pauses for a moment and catches her gaze. Her eyes fade from bright white to their normal brown.

Klaus hopes she can read his lips when he says "I'm sorry we left you, you'll be out of there soon."

She nods and steps back. Neither of them smile. 

He continues to pull at the handle with no luck. His hands continue to slip and slide off the handle. Every time he steadies himself wipes his hands and tries again. The only thing stopping him from giving up is the hopeful look in Vanya's eyes he knows she's trying not to feel.

Klaus believes he's never going to let her out until he sees Ben behind him, his hands gripping the handle, for real. With the strength of the two of them, they unlock and pry the door open.

In an instant Vanya is out of the cell, her arms wrapped around him. Her breaths are heavy and she is trying to control her sobbing. The words she is trying to say get lost between her sobs.

"Shhh," Klaus whispers, his voice soft. "It's okay, you're okay now."

Vanya takes a deep breath. "It's not." she manages to say, her voice still shaking.

"Take a few deep breaths, Vanya. We can go to my room and talk there, yeah?" Klaus waits until she nods to stand up and hold a hand out to her.

She accepts it.

They make it back to his room without alerting Luther, who still seems to be with Allison. Klaus pulls up a chair for Ben before joining Vanya on his bed, putting a blanket over her. Klaus glances to Ben when he says his name.

"What Vanya's about to tell you... it's going to be a lot. I know she might not believe you but... you should tell her I'm here. Ask her if she wants me to leave."

Klaus hesitates. "I know I haven't been sober long but I swear I'm not lying-"

Vanya cuts him off. "I've always believed you about Ben. Is he here now?"

Klaus sighs with relief, nodding. "He's sitting on the chair."

Vanya smiles. "Thought he might be." She turns her attention to the chair, where Klaus can see Ben smiling more than he has in years. "Hey, Ben. I'm sorry I've never acknowledged you until now, you know how the others are and... well I never knew if you were around." She ducks her head as red spreads across her cheeks.

"It's okay, Vanya." Ben says.

"He says it's okay." Klaus relays.

Vanya continues to talk, whisper, to Ben through Klaus. It seems to calm her down and make Ben happier than he's seen in a long time. The smile stabs him in the heart. It reminds him that he's part of the reason Ben hasn't been happy.

As happy as one can be while dead.

They continue to whisper, careful not to apprise Luther. Klaus knows she's avoiding the point but he can't bring himself to tell her to stop. He gets in a few comments between relaying Ben's words to Vanya, which make them both laugh. It takes her a while, but she soon beings to talk about the past few days.

She tells him and Ben about Harold Jenkins and how he made her feel wanted, feel loved. She tells them about the lies behind her medication and how she got first chair, still in a low whisper. Klaus knows she's dragging it out, avoiding getting to the even worse things.

Vanya's deep breath shakes as she tells them about Jenkins and his manipulations. About how she killed two people and how she lost control and almost killed Allison. How she thought she had. Tears welled up in her eyes when she admitted to killing Jenkins.

"It's okay if you want to lock-"

"Don't." Klaus stops her. "I don't. I'm..."

He trails off. There was no denying it: Vanya murdered people. In self-defence, yes, but there is no coming back from that. Klaus may forgive her, and Ben too. That doesn't change the law. Or what his other siblings think. Or what she thinks of herself, which is most important.

Klaus fears that if he doesn't say the right thing here it could change everything. He has a suspicion that it is Vanya who is to be ending the world.

He thinks of his next words, he's careful of what he chooses.

"This is all fucked. You don't deserve this."

He hopes he chose right.


End file.
